Misfuelling your vehicle can seem like a daunting task, especially when you accidentally put diesel in gasoline cars that are not made for diesel. Although this is not a common problem, it can be easily fixed but will set you back around $400 – $500. However, this is a lot less expensive than any damage that putting diesel fuel in your car can cause.
So if you accidentally put diesel in a patrol car, here are some tips that will help you through the process.
What Happens When You Put Diesel In A Petrol Car
When you put diesel fuel in your Petrol car, it can be very alarming. The best course of action when you put diesel fuel in your vehicle is understanding that not turning on the car will not allow any harm from diesel on gas engine vehicles. If your car runs too long with diesel fuel inside of it can cause damage to the engine block and hurt your cylinders throwing off the timing of the engine.
This can cause catastrophic failure for your engine and will cost a lot more than just having the fuel drained out of the tank. So once you know for sure that diesel has entered your petrol car, then you need to stop and get it to a mechanic.
Can A Petrol Engine Run On Diesel
The simple answer is “no” your petrol car will not be able to run on diesel fuel. The octane of the fuel is entirely different, which means that it burns in different ways. Diesel is made and contains different flashpoints then petrol fuel and is not made to run any kind of petrol car.
The fuel can make it through the system and cause some significant damage if you try to run the vehicle. Don’t take any chances of trying to run your car with the wrong fuel in it because it will cost a lot more in the long run.
Don’t even attempt to drive your vehicle to a mechanic no matter how close you think they are. Just down the street can cost you thousands in repairs, and that is a lot more than a tow bill.
What happens if you put diesel in a gas tank
If diesel fuel is contained in just a gas tank without actually starting the car, then the issue of having diesel fuel in your vehicle is not as severe. Without starting the car, the fuel is not pushed throughout the system, and it will stay contained in the gas tank.
This will make repairs easier as the only thing that will need to be drained is the gas tank. Although you will need to have the lines inspected to make sure that there is no more damage, just having fuel sloshing around with petrol will not cause a catastrophic failure.
Again being hyper-aware of not turning your vehicle on will allow you to save money on expensive repairs.
How to get gas out of a car?
You can siphon the gas out of your own tank if you feel comfortable. You will need a couple of things and the right process.
- You will need a gas can, two plastic hoses, and a rag.
- Take a long plastic hose (preferably clear to see the flow of liquid) and insert one end in the gas tank and one side in the gas can.
- Take the second hose and push it into the neck of the tank.
- Wrap your rag around the two hoses to create a seal.
- Blow into the hose that is only in the neck of the fuel tank.
- This will supply enough of a vacuum to allow gas to flow freely into the can.
How to Siphon Gas From Your Car Easily Without a Pump
This is an easy way to get any contaminated gas out of your tank to ensure that your tank is free of the wrong fuel type.
Understanding what to do if you accidentally fill your vehicle with the wrong type of fuel can help you mitigate any damages and keep costs as low as possible. Putting diesel fuel is not a death sentence for your vehicle if you act responsibly and take care of the issue right away.
However, if you try to drive with this issue and without getting the gas out of the car, then you will cause more damage to the vehicle, and costs could exceed the worth of the vehicle. So don’t take any chances and get your vehicle right over to a mechanic.
